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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23038216">For one so small you seem so strong</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sandra_Taylor/pseuds/Sandra_Taylor'>Sandra_Taylor</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The shenanigans of daddy Hades and his kids [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Descendants (Disney Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Family Feels, Family Fluff, Gen, Hades and Persephone love each other, Hades is a Good Parent, Hayley is Mal, Not Canon Compliant, Source books? What books?, We ignore canon here, alternative universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 14:47:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>14,356</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23038216</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sandra_Taylor/pseuds/Sandra_Taylor</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Hades is officially the father of a little girl, Hayley. But you didn't think that's the whole story. Did you?</p>
<p>Or the one I lovingly call "daddy Hades adopts Carlos".</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hades/Persephone</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The shenanigans of daddy Hades and his kids [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1566802</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>114</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. From this day now and forever</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Descendants is... a mess. But we can't ignore what a great idea it is. Or what a nightmare the Isle really is.<br/>Plus, Hades. Who doesn't love Hades?<br/>And so, finally, my installment of this little AU.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>There’s a reason why Hades stays away from the rest of the villains. Hiding Hayley from her mother is just a small part of it. He had his cave long before she was even conceived. Sure, nowadays his cave is more a system of caves running under most of the Isle. Ever since Hayley got really close with her friends it got really complicated. Now Hades is sure that the only people who can really navigate it are Hayley and Carlos, one of her friends.</span>
</p>
<p>Carlos has been around a lot lately. Hades is not an idiot and every single adult around is a villain. He knows what the burn scars on the boy’s arms mean, what the regular scars all over his body mean. The boy is only nine yet his body bears more scars than even the annoying wonder boy accumulated across his battles that Hades prepared for him. It makes Hades’ blood boil and if he had magic to spare his hair would turn red. (In those moments he’s more than fucking relieved that he didn’t leave Hayley behind.)</p>
<p>Carlos occasionally spends the night and the next day Hayley downplays it as an unexpected sleepover they forgot to mention to Hades the day before. Hades lets them.</p>
<p>Hades likes Carlos. He likes even Jay and Evie, the rest of Hayley’s tight group. (He also knows they’re not the only kids Hayley hangs around with. He heard enough about Uma and Harry and Gil to know that they’re about to join Hayley and her friends or to become their mortal enemies. You never know with the villain kids.) And he knows that they have their share of problems, too. Evie never touches any food Hades serves them, no matter who already tasted it and proved it’s not poisoned. And Jay has his own share of scars. Sure, everyone has scars on the Isle, even Hayley. But death doesn’t cling to those scars. Because they might have stopped death from reaching the Isle thanks to magic, but Hades can still smell when it’s supposed to come.</p>
<p>So yes, he likes Hayley’s friends. He has a special fondness of Carlos. No one could ever replace his daughter’s place in his heart and she will always be special to him, but this boy… this boy could claim another part of Hades’ cold, stone-like heart for himself.</p>
<p>And one night, he does.</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>Hades wakes up in the middle of the night to the sound of Hayley dragging Carlos into the guest room that’s not really needed and didn’t exist until Hayley befriended Carlos. That’s normal. Contrary to what most (Hayley included) believe he sleeps lightly and always knows what’s happening in the set of caves he likes to call home. Even the sound of Jay helping her isn’t that unusual and Hades figures that in the next twenty minutes he will sneak back out and then they’ll pretend he was never there. You know - business as usual.</p>
<p>Five minutes later that illusion is shattered by Hayley bursting into his room.</p>
<p>“Dad!”</p>
<p>Hades is in high-alert immediately. She hasn’t done that since she was six and they had a talk about privacy. Plus she sounds like she’s panicking and there are tears in her eyes. Hades doesn’t care that death was locked out of this place, the one responsible will die tonight.</p>
<p>“Dad, it’s Carlos.”</p>
<p>Impossibly, Hades’ heart sinks even lower.</p>
<p>Carlos eyes are glossy and he’s sweating so much both his shirts are completely sweat-through. Jay is sitting behind him, keeping him upright and awake. The moment Hades walks in he takes Carlos’ right hand and exposes his wrist. His burnt, clearly infected wrist. It makes the bloody fingers beneath it look trivial.</p>
<p>Suddenly, Carlos’ limp body jerks and he tries to get up.</p>
<p>“Coats! Gotta clean… dogs will… clean the coats…”</p>
<p>“I waited for Cruella to leave.”</p>
<p>“We haven’t seen Carlos in days, haven’t even heard from him.”</p>
<p>“Cruella, the Evil Queen, and Maleficent play poker every Wednesday night.”</p>
<p>“Evie said it’s her mother’s turn, so we knew Cruella wouldn’t be in the Hall.”</p>
<p>“I found Carlos scrubbing the main hall’s floor. He had to be there for hours.”</p>
<p>With horror Hade realizes that the blood on Carlos’ hands is his own. To get that results from scrubbing he’d really need to be at it for hours. Hades doesn’t make even Pain and Panic work that hard.</p>
<p>“Dad, please, daddy. Save him.”</p>
<p>In normal circumstances, he would scold her. Remind her that there’s no saving the Lost. And either way, Carlos can’t die, not while he’s trapped on the Isle. No, Carlos is gonna suffer the full effects of the infection until they cure him. If they’ll be able to cure him.</p>
<p>No, these are not normal circumstances and Hayley is just eleven. (Nine for anyone asking. Hayley included.) Besides, she hasn’t called him daddy in ages and never in front of anyone else. She’s scared and looking for comfort.</p>
<p>“We’ll need water from the stream.” The underground stream is the only source of clean water on the whole island, of that Hades is sure. “Lots, lots of that water. Also, some herbs, but I’ll have to look that up, so it has to wait. Water, Hayley,” he adds the last part sternly. “Take anything you can think will hold water, bring it back full and repeat that until I tell you to stop.”</p>
<p>She straightens up and pulls herself together before nodding at him and quickly leaving the room. Hades can give his full attention to Carlos now.</p>
<p>“Strip him to his underwear.” He decides to leave the underwear on for both kids’ benefit. He hardly cares about nudity, but Jay may be uncomfortable while helping and it would probably embarrass Carlos. There’s no need for that.</p>
<p>Jay does as he’s told. The moment he pushes Carlos away enough to strip him he grimaces. Hades glances at Carlos’ shirt and – there’s blood seeping through the double fabric. Hades doesn’t hesitate and quickly helps Jay strip Carlos.</p>
<p>There are bloody marks of lashing on his back. Some healed, some at most six hours old, most of them older reopened ones.</p>
<p>Hades hasn’t used magic in months now, storing every single drop away. Right now he’s holding on his magic (and his temper) by sheer force of will.</p>
<p>Thankfully, Hayley bursts in with flagons of water just then. The moment she sees Carlo’s back her eyes widen.</p>
<p>“What in all hell?”</p>
<p>“We’ll need more water than expected.“</p>
<p>First, they clean off the blood. Then Hades takes the first aid kit Persephone insisted he keep for his daughter (once again he’s endlessly grateful for his wife) and puts all of it on Carlos. It isn’t enough. It hardly covers the fresh wounds on his back, let alone his fingers. And the infected burn mark makes everything so much worse.</p>
<p>Eventually, Hades can’t take this hopelessness any longer. He makes sure to wash every single scar on Carlos before he gets up. Thankfully, he chooses a moment when Hayley comes in with another round of clean water. The room is almost full of it now.</p>
<p>“That’s enough, Hayley,” he tells her, making his voice soft on purpose. He’s not gonna take his rage on a kid, much less his own daughter. “Keep the rag on his forehead cold. Keep treating his wounds if they require it, especially the burn. If he wakes up delirious again, keep him down and try to calm him. I shouldn’t be too long.”</p>
<p>“Where are you going?” Hayley sounds almost accusatory.</p>
<p>“For Carlos’ things. You seriously think I’m gonna let him go back to that… woman?”</p>
<p>Hayley watches him for another moment before nodding, as if for herself.</p>
<p>“I’m going with you.”</p>
<p>“Hayley-”</p>
<p>“You don’t know Hell Hall at all. There are traps all over the place. I can lead you in and out without any injury. Jay will stay and take care of Carlos.”</p>
<p>Even though this hellish situation he’s still proud of his little girl for taking charge like that. Jay just nods in agreement, not protesting in the least.</p>
<p>That’s his girl.</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>Hades always scoffed at the name Hell Hall. Now he kinda sees what that’s about.</p>
<p>Hayley stops him from going through the main door.</p>
<p>“Bear traps. No one goes in like that. Not even Cruella.”</p>
<p>The building is eerily quiet. Hades is sure that if he and Hayley weren’t silent as death itself every sound would echo. Also, Hayley didn’t lie about the traps. They’re everywhere.</p>
<p>Hayley leads him straight to one room. It’s not much – just a bed and a nightstand and a door that Hades assumes leads to bathroom. It’s a bit sad.</p>
<p>“This is Carlos’ room?”</p>
<p>Hayley snorts and opens the other door to reveal a closet.</p>
<p>“No. This is Carlos’ room.”</p>
<p>Hades looks from the closet to Hayley and back a few times.</p>
<p>“You’re kidding.”</p>
<p>Hayley rolls her eyes and carefully dances into the closet. Because the closet floor is full of more bear traps. There’s not enough space between them to sit down, let alone lie down for a proper sleep.</p>
<p>Before Hades has enough time to gather his wits Hayley is back out, in her arms a single pillow.</p>
<p>“Where’s the rest?”</p>
<p>“Of what?”</p>
<p>“Carlos’ things.”</p>
<p>Once again Hayley rolls her eyes.</p>
<p>“That’s it, dad. And the pillow was originally Evie’s.”</p>
<p>She shrugs, like it’s no big deal, but Hades sees the fire in her eyes that says exactly how she’s feeling.</p>
<p>She’s furious. As furious as Hades himself.</p>
<p>“So. Evil Queen’s castle, huh?” Hayley gives him a puzzled look. Hades grins. “Feel like storming a castle?”</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>Castles are… well, they’re not easy to maintain. Villains were transported to the Isle with their houses. (Except Hades himself, for obvious reasons.) But not all villains are royalty so soon enough other people tried to steal the castles from their original owners. The owners preserved and won the little war, but the castles suffered for it.</p>
<p>So when Hades said “Evil Queen’s castle” he meant a mostly stone house with one lovely tower.</p>
<p>This time Hayley doesn’t bother telling him not to burst through the front door. In fact, she’s right behind him, smirk firmly on her face. The heavy door hits the wall with a loud bang. There’s no way the three bitches don’t know about them.</p>
<p>The following silence is deafening. Hades senses Hayley growing restless behind him and silently makes a step back and sets his hand on her lower back, settling her back down.</p>
<p>There’s three sets of feet hurrying towards the hall, but only the Evil Queen steps from behind the corner. She hides her surprise well but Hades has been watching humans since they were nothing more than monkeys, he sees it clearly in her face.</p>
<p>“Hades, what an honor!” Not according to the anxiety in her face. “What can I do for you at this late hour?”</p>
<p>Hades snorts.</p>
<p>“As if the night isn’t the time the Isle is most active, witch.” He hasn’t come here to make friends. “Give me Cruella de Vil.”</p>
<p>The Evil Queen blinks few times, as if in surprise, but Hades sees the mild panic behind it. He can’t help but feel smug about that.</p>
<p>“Cruella de Vil lives in Hell Hall. It’s not that far from here, actually.”</p>
<p>In any other situation Hades would be at least amused by her try at dodging the demand while also not lying. But not right now. They’ve been gone too long for his taste. He’s worried about the boy.</p>
<p>“Funny you say that. I was just there. She’s not home. However, a little birdie told me that you and her like to play poker this time of the week.”</p>
<p>“That little runt!” There Cruella is, marching towards them in rage, as if she’s right and they should listen to her. It’s actually kinda amusing. It annoys Hades that people like Maleficent think they’re equal to him, a god. But they at least have magic. (Usually.) But this woman? She has nothing but a blown ego. “What did he do now? I assure you, Hades, he’ll be sorry for ever stepping out of line.”</p>
<p>Aaand Hades’ own rage is back.</p>
<p>“This isn’t about what the boy did, Cruella,” he replies as calmly as he can. He can feel how close his hair is to igniting and he controls himself. No sense wasting magic on something so inconsequential. Not this time. “Actually, this is about what you did to the boy.”</p>
<p>She scoffs at that. Right to his face!</p>
<p>„I can do whatever I like to him and you can’t do anything about it. He’s my property.”</p>
<p>Well, there goes his cool. His hair goes up in flames.</p>
<p>“Did no one tell you to treat your things nice or they’ll be taken away from you? Too bad. Now, he’s mine!”</p>
<p>Honestly, he’s a little surprised himself by what comes out of his mouth. He shouldn’t be. It’s not like he’d let Carlos go back to her.</p>
<p>“You can’t do that!”</p>
<p>“Watch your tongue, woman.”</p>
<p>“Or what?” she laughs at him. Actually laughs at him! “You’ll curse me?”</p>
<p>He makes himself focus and truly look at her. Her black trousers look like leather and she has fur on her boots. There’s obviously the fur coat, not to talk about the hideousness of a whole dead dog draped over her shoulder.</p>
<p>“You like your furs, don’t you?” For once he lets the little magic he has at his disposal run free. It almost freezes the room, letting everyone know of his rage. For the nice little trick with his hair his rage always ran cold. “You shall never again find joy in fur.” He lets his voice go into the godlike quality he nowadays avoids. It echoes as no mortal voice could. “In fact,” his smirk is cold and it clearly makes Cruella pale, “you shall find pain in it. You shall find your own blood on your hands just as your son did for your bidding. You shall find the same discomfort in your coats as your son found around them. And you shall be as ill from your furs as your own son is right this very moment. So say I, Hades, the god of afterlife. So it will be.”</p>
<p>The curse settles and Hades is left without an ounce of magic and with barely enough energy to keep standing. The world around him swirls for a second, but he holds on and doesn’t let the two women see exactly how badly he’s effected.</p>
<p>Even though Cruella is non-magical, the curse was strong enough that even she had to feel that something happened.</p>
<p>“So that’s it? You’re just gonna kidnap another kid?”</p>
<p>Oh, right. Maleficent’s also here. Hades forgot.</p>
<p>“For fuck’s sake, I didn’t kidnap anyone.” A lie. Technically. He is Hayley’s father after all, he has as much right to keep her to herself as Maleficent. And he was more clever about it. “Just look at her hair.” And to Chronos, is he glad that Hayley’s originally dark violet hair lightened until at around two it arrived at its current colour - blue. Dark at her roots, light at the tips. Her roots are still somewhat lighter than Evie’s hair, her tips just a shade darker than Hades’ own hair.</p>
<p>The three women turn to Hayley and Hades tenses. But Hayley juts her chin up and her hip to the side, resting one hand on it. She’s just eleven and Hades can already see all the trouble she’s gonna get into. He can’t wait.</p>
<p>Cruella and the Evil Queen (does she even have a name?) move on easily, but Maleficent stays suspicious. Hades made his peace with that. He spent six years keeping Hayley underground, lying even to her about her age, to make sure that Maleficent’s claims about him kidnapping her daughter would seem absurd and nonsensical. Granted, they’re true, but nobody knows that. Not even Hayley.</p>
<p>The time for him to come clean with her is nearing, he knows. But not yet. Not just yet.</p>
<p>“Mal, surely you remember me.” Her voice is urging, demanding. Hayley doesn’t react well to that.</p>
<p>“My name is Hayley.”</p>
<p>Maleficent makes a step towards Hayley and raises her hand. Hades quickly steps between them.</p>
<p>“Touch her and I will mutilate you further than you already have been.”</p>
<p>Maleficent juts her chin out (and to Chronos, let no one else notice how alike Maleficent and Hayley look when they do that), but she’s afraid.</p>
<p>“You’re weak. You spent all your energy on that little curse.”</p>
<p>“You felt how strong that curse was. Do you really want to risk it?”</p>
<p>They stand like that for one long moment. And for just a second, this fleeting second, Hades remembers what exactly it was about Maleficent that attracted him all those years ago. But that’s gone now.</p>
<p>Finally, Maleficent makes a step back and takes her hand with her.</p>
<p>“You’re not welcome here.”</p>
<p>Hades shrugs. He did what he came for. Time to go home.</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>He almost collapses the moment they’re back in the tunnels under the Isle. Hayley catches him, but when Hades turns to smile at her her eyes are wide and scared.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry, kiddo, I’ll be fine in no time.”</p>
<p>“I’ve never seen you use that much magic at the time.”</p>
<p>He usually lets his hair flame up on the day they celebrate her birthday. It started as a way to make her giggle when she was just a baby and since then became tradition. Sometimes, when she’s hurt badly enough, he uses magic instead of the herbs Persephone insisted he has on hand. And when he gathers enough magic he uses it to expand the system of caves they’re standing in right that moment. But that curse was more powerful than he realized when he started it.</p>
<p>“Impressed?” he smirks at her. Hayley scoffs, but the tenseness in her shoulders lessens.</p>
<p>“Get us out of this hellhole. Then I’ll be impressed.”</p>
<p>Hades’ heart hurts. This basically counts as a holiday for him, but it’s hard on Hayley. He knows that. No child deserves to grow up like that. Not to talk about the fact that he has no idea how the not dying rule will apply to the kids born on the island when their time comes naturally. Sure, they don’t die from the various wounds or diseases, but the villains don’t age while the kids grow up normally so far. Will they just… stop at one point? Or will the no dying rule disappear for them the moment they reach the usual human dying age? Besides, he will be let out in a hundred years (ninety now), but does the same rule apply to Hayley? And if so, would she have to leave her friends behind? And would she die the moment they leave the Isle, considering that she’d be almost hundred herself? Would Hades have enough time to make her immortal, somehow?</p>
<p>No sense thinking about all of that now, he reminds himself. He has bigger things to worry about right this moment.</p>
<p>Carlos is asleep when they come home. Jay is much whiter than he was when they left, though. He’s sitting by Carlos’ bed, staring at him with such intensity that Hades guesses that he’s afraid that if he looks away Carlos will fade into nothingness.</p>
<p>“How is he?”</p>
<p>Jay jumps a little, but this time around Hades doesn’t find any joy in it. Jay is usually very good about knowing what’s going on around him, but Hades is naturally so silent that he can surprise anyone he wishes. And Hayley is learning that from him.</p>
<p>“Better?” But it sounds more like a question than an answer. Hades pushes away from Hayley. She doesn’t look excited about that (she did have to help him make it back), but he feels much better now. He comes to the bed, puts away the now luke-warm rag, and lays his hand on Carlos’ forehead. He’s colder than mortals, but Carlos is still too hot for his tastes.</p>
<p>“He woke up?”</p>
<p>Jay gulps and nods, not saying anything. Hades frowns. Nobody on the Isle goes around babbling about, but Jay is usually more talkative than this. Whatever happened had to be… uncomfortable for Jay, at the least.</p>
<p>“Hayley, get more fabric, we’ll try to wrap Carlos in it. I’m gonna go take a look at the herbs.”</p>
<p>Thanks to Persephone, they’re well-off in every sense of the word. For the Isle, anyway. But when it comes to herbs, they’re exceptionally well supplied. There’s a whole pantry full of dried herbs and Persephone was even able to make a little garden next to it, bursting with a few fresh herbs. She made sure to show Hades which to use for cold and which to use to relax. A few months ago she even gave him a lecture about women’s problems and which herbs are the best for those. Hayley is nearing the age when she’ll need those, after all.</p>
<p>But right now he has no idea which to use. There are some that can be used on a blood wound, he knows at least that much, but what about the infected burn? And does the fever complicate things? He knows Persephone showed him a few different herbs to use for fever, but right now he’s blanking.</p>
<p>“Persephone, dearest,” he breaths out, softly, with urgency. “Please, hurry to me. I need you, my flower.”</p>
<p>He waits a minute, letting the prayer settle. And maybe, just maybe, hoping that she would set everything else aside and hurry to his side.</p>
<p>That, obviously, doesn’t happen. Now that Hades has his long ago earned holiday, every responsibility of underworld falls to Persephone’s shoulder. She takes to it beautifully, of course, just as Hades knew she would. But that means that she can’t leave everything behind and run to him every time he calls.</p>
<p>So he takes a few herbs that he’s sure are to help with bloody wounds and goes back to Carlos. The kids need their rest and he doesn’t, so he can stay with Carlos for however long will be needed. Persephone will find him there when she has the time.</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>
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</p>
<p>It takes some prompting from Hades, but eventually Jay heads home. Not that Hades doesn’t want him around, but it’s better for the boy to head home for the night. Less questions from his father.</p>
<p>Hayley fights him much more. In the end she falls asleep in a chair right next to Hades. He sighs and carries her to her own bed. It’s enough how worried he is about the boy, he doesn’t need to worry about her on top of that.</p>
<p>It’s early in the morning when Persephone finally arrives. Hades hears her and is anxious to go greet her, but he can’t make himself leave the boy. During the night he had another two episodes of almost waking up. He sobbed into Hades’ chest on both occasions. (Hades wonders if the same happened with Jay and that was why he was so freaked out. He wouldn’t blame the boy.)</p>
<p>Persephone steps into the door and for a moment Hades forgets all about the boy. Her long, dark hair is braided into one thick braid. She started doing that just weeks into her appointment as the main caretaker of the Underworld. Much more practical like that. Magenta zinnias are scattered all over the braid, as they always are when she visits. The crown on her head is made entirely of forsythia and it’s an interesting look on her. Her skin is as pale as his nowadays. Hades misses the rich brown of the days when she came back from visiting her mother, but the paleness is part of the Underworld and something in Hades is pleased that you can see the prove that she’s his on her skin now.</p>
<p>Her eyes, sparkling with joy when she sees him, dim when they land on the boy.</p>
<p>“Are we adopting another, darling?” She teases him, but she’s already on her way to the boy. Hades smiles.</p>
<p>“You are the only one who adopted Hayley, sweetheart.” Persephone shoots him a look and yes, okay, he deserved that. “Let’s start with saving him from the nightmare he’s trapped in right now, okay?”</p>
<p>“That won’t be done in a day, Hades.”</p>
<p>“I know, but honey, I’m lost. I’m not sure what to use or how to use it. If you give me instructions, I’ll follow them.”</p>
<p>Persephone takes her time, carefully examining Carlos. Then she stands up and turns to Hades, carefully looking him over.</p>
<p>“You over exerted yourself. What have you done now?”</p>
<p>Hades scowls.</p>
<p>“Did you expect me to not punish the mortal who did this to the boy? His own mother, no less?”</p>
<p>Horror crosses her face for just a moment before calm cruelty takes over. White heather silently blows in her forsythia crown. By Chronos, does he love her.</p>
<p>“You didn’t kill her.”</p>
<p>“She’d be getting away with it.”</p>
<p>“Not if you tell me her name.”</p>
<p>Her eyes are hard and cruel and Hades smirks, but doesn’t budge.</p>
<p>“She will suffer here and right now she can’t die. If I decide to change that I’ll tell you. I promise, Kore,” he adds, when she opens her mouth to protest. “She touches the boy again, I’ll give her to you.”</p>
<p>
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</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>
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</p>
<p>Persephone raids the herbs, both fresh from the garden and the dried ones, and prepares them for Hades to simply use. She mixes some of them into a paste, telling him to put that on the infection three times a day. She mixes others for tea, for when he’s strong enough to drink it.</p>
<p>“Even if he’s still delirious, try to get some in him.”</p>
<p>She points which to use if the fever gets worse and tells him to use the ones for blood wounds as much as they’re needed. Then she repeats everything, fretting with the herbs.</p>
<p>“I know, dearest,” he assures her softly. “Come on, let’s check on Carlos.”</p>
<p>Persephone looks relieved and moves to the room Carlos is in even quicker than Hades himself. Then she stops between the door.</p>
<p>“Hello, Hayley,” she says carefully. Hades quickly moves to the room. The relationship between his wife and his daughter is… strained. Persephone is not like Hera, she’s not resentful to her husband’s children. Sure, she was pissed. At Hades, not at Hayley. But she’s not around enough for Hayley to have a proper parental relationship with her and Hayley… well, she doesn’t take well to Hades’ attention being divided between the two. Nowadays it’s better, but her relationship with Persephone didn’t have the chance to get better yet.</p>
<p>“Persephone,” she nods at her, perfectly polite. Then she turns towards Hades. “He’s not better. Make him better.”</p>
<p>“We’re going to, princess. It just takes time.”</p>
<p>Hayley scowls before turning back to Carlos. She’s standing at the feet of the bed, just looking at Carlos. As if being afraid of touching him. She’s not exactly patient. It’s Hades’ own fault. He doesn’t exactly spoil her (she is well aware that she’s better off than the rest of the Isle and he makes sure she doesn’t flaunt it yet knows how to defend herself), but he does tend to indulge her more often than not.</p>
<p>Persephone finally makes it to the bed, gently brushing Carlos’ hair off his forehead. His sweaty hair that’s clinging to his skin.</p>
<p>Suddenly Carlos’ eyes shot open. He whimpers and tries to scramble back on the bed, but he’s too weak. His arms give under him the moment he tries to lift himself up and that makes him wince and close his eyes.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry.” His voice is croaky and he sounds terrified. “I don’t… couldn’t… didn’t mean to! I’m sorry!”</p>
<p>He raises his arm above his head. It’s shaking, but he keeps it there, protecting his face.</p>
<p>Persephone looks at Hades in horror. She drew back her hand the moment Carlos flinched and now she hurriedly steps back. Hayley is also looking at him, panic clearly written in her face.</p>
<p>Right. Head of the family. He has no idea how that became him, but hey, here he is and he’s gonna do it right.</p>
<p>He sits on the bed next to Carlos, exactly as he did the last two times Carlos woke up. Silently he puts his hand down between them, not touching Carlos. Not yet. He speaks to him, calmly and softly, telling him where he is and that he’s safe. Soon enough Carlos latches to his hand and then he’s crying. Carefully Hades pulls him to his lap.</p>
<p>“Don’t let her… crazy… I can’t… Cruella… please…”</p>
<p>Hades calms him down with gentle touch and soft, murmuring words. Carlos is out of it less than five minutes later. It gets really quiet in the room. Hayley has tears in her eyes and stubborn expression on her face, meaning that she’s trying with all her might not to cry. Persephone looks furious.</p>
<p>“Cruella de Vil.”</p>
<p>“Darling-”</p>
<p>“I can’t touch her right now and you said it yourself, she can’t die. But if she puts even her little toe out of line… I will be expecting her, Hades. And in the meantime, I’ll make sure she gets… adequate welcome.” They look at each other for a moment. Hades once again feels strong connection to his wife. She’s got his back, she supports him. Sure, she isn’t afraid to yell at him when he crosses a line, but she loves him as much as he loves her. Then, she flinches. “I have to go. I will be back,” she adds sternly. Then she turns to Hayley. “Take care of your brother, Hayley.”</p>
<p>With those words she’s gone, leaving wide-eyed Hayley behind.</p>
<p>“Brother?” She breaths the word out carefully, as if just by saying it out loud she could in some way harm it. Hades smiles softly.</p>
<p>“I told you, kiddo. I’m not letting Carlos go back to that woman. And he needs someone to take care of him right now. You don’t think Jafar would be too excited to do that, do you? And Evil Queen is too close to Cruella for that.”</p>
<p>Hayley’s smile lits up her face and Hades lets himself bask in it for a moment. Then they both settle back down to their two chairs. They’re gonna spend a lot of time in those in the upcoming days.</p>
<p>
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</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>
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<p>Persephone is back the next day. Hades is not gonna lie, he’s relieved to see her. She hasn’t been around that often since Hayley was just a little baby.</p>
<p>She checks on Carlos, moving around him carefully and quietly, obviously afraid of another episode. Then she gently prods Hayley into going for a swim in the stream. To their surprise, Hayley doesn’t argue. Just asks if they’re gonna stay with Carlos before she comes back and then she goes do as she’s told. By Persephone. Sure, she grumbles a little, but doesn’t really argue.</p>
<p>Persephone looks as shocked as Hades feels.</p>
<p>They talk quietly, Persephone making sure Hades is okay and Hades asking about the Underworld. Hayley comes back soon enough and Persephone asks how she is.</p>
<p>“I’ll be much better once my brother is better.”</p>
<p>Hayley looks so pleased by that simple sentence, not doubting that he will get better, not even for a moment.</p>
<p>But first, Carlos gets worse.</p>
<p>Persephone can’t stay long and leaves soon after Hayley comes back. That’s good, because not even an hour later Jay barges in. Hades has Pain and Panic guarding the tunnels and they know they can let him in.</p>
<p>Hades lets him visit and even sit with Hayley silently (Hades notices they hold hands and realizes he needs to have the boy talk with Hayley soon. As in - no boys. Ever) for a moment, but then he kicks him out. Hayley fights him, but honestly, it’s for the boy’s own good. Hayley can afford to spend hours and days on end doing basically nothing because they have an outside source of food and the stream for water, they don’t need anyone else either. But Jay needs to steal enough to keep his father’s shop full, to get some food into his belly, and to keep the roof over his head. He can’t spend that much time just sitting around.</p>
<p>Carlos’ wakes up just before Jay leaves. This time he yells. Hades has his hands full with him and when Carlos finally calms down and Hades turns around, Jay is nowhere to be found.</p>
<p>Carlos’ episodes get worse. He scratches his wounds, reopening them, crying out in pain. Hades thinks that he does that on accident, but then Carlos mutters something about needing to punish himself.</p>
<p>He kicks Hayley out by then. She yells at him and cries, pounding on the door he closed between the room and her, begging him to let her in, let her be there for her brother. Hades doesn’t budge.</p>
<p>Persephone is back the next day. Hades can hear her talking to Hayley on the other side of the door, but doesn’t eavesdrop. </p>
<p>It takes almost ten minutes before there’s a knock.</p>
<p>“It’s only me, love.” He opens the door, expecting to see both of them, but it’s only Persephone. “I sent Hayley to bed. She’s been up all night, worrying about Carlos.”</p>
<p>Hades closes his eyes.</p>
<p>“I didn’t want that.”</p>
<p>“I know. It’s fine.” She steers herself. “How much worse?”</p>
<p>Carlos screams right then. Hades hurries towards him.</p>
<p>“Dogs…”</p>
<p>“There are no dogs here, pup. I promise.”</p>
<p>Carlos flinches at the nickname and Hades curses himself.</p>
<p>And so it goes.</p>
<p>Evie comes visit on the third day, but Hades doesn’t let her come to Carlos’ room. She apologizes for her mother and Hades waves it away. He’s not holding sins of a parent over their kid. She asks if she can help and Hades asks her to keep Hayley company.</p>
<p>Evie still has to do her mother’s bidding, but she’s there most of the time since then. Jay even offers to take care of anything Evie might need while he’s out there scoring for his father.</p>
<p>Persephone is over daily. She tries to keep away from panicking Carlos at first, but she can’t help herself. At first Carlos doesn’t react well to her. But at one time he gets so bad that he doesn’t care who it is with him.</p>
<p>About a week in something gives and Carlos sleeps without waking up for full thirty hours. It worries Hades but Persephone seems to be relieved.</p>
<p>The first time Carlos wakes up again he’s confused. He asks where he is, but he doesn’t seem to process Hades’ answer properly. Hades has him sit up and examining his wounds. Carlos doesn’t protest, but also doesn’t seem to be that aware in general.</p>
<p>The blood wounds have been healing over the last week. The scars are still ugly, but they’re mostly healed now. There are only two wounds left that still need Hades’ attention. The infection from the burn is also almost gone.</p>
<p>Almost being the operative word.</p>
<p>His fever went down, though. Maybe even…</p>
<p>“Honey, can you check his temperature?”</p>
<p>Persephone hesitates for a moment before slowly stepping closer and carefully putting her hand on Carlos’ forehead. Carlos squints his eyes at her.</p>
<p>“Do I know you? I feel like I know you.”</p>
<p>Persephone smiles at him and pushes back his still sweaty hair. There’s nothing like a shower in those caves and no one was stupid enough to try to take Carlos to the stream. They kept washing him with the wet rugs, but it’s not the same.</p>
<p>“That’s alright, sweetheart, we will have time to get to know each other.”</p>
<p>Carlos nods before squinting at Hades.</p>
<p>“Mister Hades, sir? Is Hayley here?”</p>
<p>“She’s with Evie in her room. Do you want to see them?”</p>
<p>Carlos frowns, as if thinking hard, looking to his lap. Silently, Persephone makes eye contact with Hades and shakes her head with a little smile. No fever, then.</p>
<p>“I’m late,” Carlos mutters before lying back down and either falling asleep instantly or just resting like that. Hades stares at him for a while.</p>
<p>“He’s probably just tired.”</p>
<p>“He just slept for thirty hours!”</p>
<p>“He also just battled down an infection of a burn, love. Let him rest a little longer. He should probably stay in bed for another week, too. I’ll see what I can do to fill up your pantry properly again. I’m afraid that’s all the time I have,” she sighs, clearing some invisible dust from her trousers.</p>
<p>The first time Hades saw her in trousers he hardly believed it’s truly her. But who else would come visit him here? And it makes sense that for the work pants are more practical than loose flowery dresses Persephone prefers.</p>
<p>“I’m gonna go say bye to Hayley.” Her relationship with Hayley got abruptly better in the last week. Hades is wary, but not complaining. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” She kisses his cheek before going out of the room.</p>
<p>
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</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>
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</p>
<p>She doesn’t come the next day.</p>
<p>Carlos gets better quickly, but Hades still doesn’t let him get out of bed. Carlos protests wholeheartedly.</p>
<p>“I need to get back! If Cruella finds that I am missing…”</p>
<p>Hades worries that his delusions are back, but his eyes are clear, although wide with worry. Hades thinks about telling him that he’s been out of it for over a week, but decides that can wait for later.</p>
<p>“You don’t think I’ll let you go back to her, do you?”</p>
<p>Carlos looks up to him with a terrified look. Hades curses himself. He might have already be fond of Carlos before and the last week certainly changed their relationship for him, but Carlos doesn’t know that. Carlos has always been afraid of him, so he kept his distance, letting Hayley deal with the troubles Carlos so obviously had. He helped from distance, obviously, but he never properly talked to Carlos.</p>
<p>Besides, maybe, possibly, he did start thinking about Carlos as his other kid.</p>
<p>“No, I… I belong to her. She’s gonna… she’s gonna punish me.”</p>
<p>“She’s not gonna touch you anymore.” Hades is not sure how to approach that. He doesn’t do soft well, but this kid won’t react well to his rough love right now. “You’ll stay here. You’re not allowed out of bed for another week anyway.”</p>
<p>“No, that’s… that’s not needed.” As if just now realizing that he’s in bed Carlos tries to push back the sheet and sit up. Hades quickly moves to push him back and cover him with the sheet again. Carlos flinches back. Damn it.</p>
<p>“You will stay in the bed for at least a week. Doctor’s orders.” Technically. Persephone is more than a doctor, after all. Hades hesitates for a moment. “I won’t keep you here against your wishes. If you want to go after the week is over and if you’re alright by then, you’re free to go.” He can always sick Pain or Panic after him. Hades is sure that the tunnels don’t need both of them to patrol them all the time. Sure, they’ll have to keep their distance, but they’re still afraid of his retaliation for their fuck up with Hercules, so it should work out. He steps back a bit. “Hayley wants to see you.” He’s sure Evie and Jay will be around at some point and will also want to see him, but for right now, Hayley should be enough.</p>
<p>Carlos’ eyes light up, but he just tamely, almost shyly nods. This boy will be a lot of work, Hades can tell.</p>
<p>
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</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>
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<p>Hayley is excited that she can once again spend all her time by Carlos' bed. Hades has never seen her spend that much time inside willingly, let alone basically motionless. Even keeping her hidden for the first seven years of her life has been a challenge. Also the reason why there are so many tunnels under the Isle. Easier to keep her in them that way.</p>
<p>But now she barely moves away from Carlos' bed.</p>
<p>Hades has to fight with his own desire to stay right next to her, but it's apparent that Carlos is uneasy around him, so he tries to keep away. He still manages to be around, keeping one eye (and an ear, let's be honest) on them.</p>
<p>He's really glad that he does so when he hears Hayley calling Carlos her brother for the first time. He even manages to peak into the room. Carlos is sitting up, craddling a cup with the herbal tea Persephone prepared for him in his arms, keeping it close to his chest. He's staring at Hayley with his lips slightly parted.</p>
<p>"Brother?" He says the word so softly and quietly that if Hades didn't hear better than an average human, he wouldn't hear him. Hayley beams at him.</p>
<p>"Yeah. You're staying with us, right? Don't worry, Cruella won't get her hands on you again. Dad took care of that."</p>
<p>Hades quickly steps back again, hiding behind the corner, but still listening. Yes, he's eavesdropping, get over it. Those are his kids, if he can't eavesdrop on them who can he eavesdrop on?</p>
<p>"She always does."</p>
<p>"Not this time. Dad is a god, remember? He won't let anything happen to you." There's a moment of silence. "You are staying, right? Come on, little brother, we're gonna have so much fun!"</p>
<p>There's silence again and Hades once again peaks in. Carlos is looking down on his mug, but there's a small smile on his face.</p>
<p>He leaves them alone after that. He'd be glad if Carlos decided to stay, but either way he's not letting anything happen to the boy. He's his now and Hades takes care of those that are his.</p>
<p>Evie and Jay are excited to see Carlos awake and conscious. Evie squeals and hugs Carlos and Jay's shoulders sag in relief. He doesn't say anything and doesn't really touch him, but his whole face is much more relaxed. Hades stays around just long enough to remind Carlos not to overexert himself, orders Hayley to make sure Carlos doesn't overexert himself and makes himself sparse.</p>
<p>They stay the whole day. Hades makes sure they have food and water by hand basically the whole time. He hides in his cave from most of the Isle, but those kids are already inside and aren't about to leave anytime soon. He might as well create a safe space for them.</p>
<p>He puts his music on and relaxes on his armchair. It's somewhat bigger than a regular one so he can comfortably sprawl all over it. Hayley knows where to find him if she wants him.</p>
<p>Evie comes back three days later. She's a little subdued, but she still looks very happy to see Carlos and Hayley. She spends just about an hour before excusing herself, but she promises to come back the next day. Hades guesses that her mother wasn't happy about her not doing anything it was she sent her off to do the last time she came, but she wasn't punished that badly.</p>
<p>It takes five days for Jay to come back and he comes back limping. Hades frowns at him and tells him to sit down. Jay wants to weasel out of it and go right to Carlos, but Hades barks at him to sit down and Jay does. There's a dark bruise on the boys' inner back thigh just above his knee. Hades does not want to know how it got there. He spends ten minutes trying to remember the paste Persephone taught him to make to help with bruises. When he finally does it Jay is still in the room he left him, looking grumpy and angry about it, but he's there. Only when Hades puts on the paste and lectures him about doing it again before he leaves and he better come back first thing in the morning for another round he wonders when did he become such a dad. He makes himself feel better by scowling at Jay and tying the bandage a little tighter than necessary.</p>
<p>A week after Carlos woke up he's insistent that he spent too much time in bed and that he can come out of it. The fever is gone, the burn is almost completely healed (as much as a burn can heal) and there's no infection in it anymore. The rest of the wounds have been healed since before he woke up, even the last few blood wounds no longer require any more attention. Carlos is no longer tired and Hades can see that he's getting restless in the bed.</p>
<p>He desperately wants Persephone beside him to help him make the decision, but she still hasn't shown up. And he doesn't see a reason why he should keep Carlos in bed.</p>
<p>"Alright, fine. You can go wherever you want. But remember you just spent two weeks in bed, so no jumping around the roofs and no high-risk runs. I want you back by seven for dinner. Hayley, I trust you will enforce those rules."</p>
<p>Hayley grins at him wildly and Carlos looks wary. Clever kid.</p>
<p>
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</p>
<p>***</p>
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<p>Carlos comes back for dinner looking tired, but happy, and Hayley is beaming with happiness.</p>
<p>He doesn't see them during the day anymore, but he expected that. It's weird, being alone in the silence. He's happy for it, but it will take some time getting used to once again.</p>
<p>On the third day after Carlos bed-rest was lifted Persephone finally appears in the middle of the room. She's in flowery summer dress and looks exhausted.</p>
<p>Hades quickly gets to her and hugs her tightly. She sags into it, hiding her face in his neck. Hades closes his eyes.</p>
<p>"Zeus?"</p>
<p>"Obviously." It's muffled by Hades himself and it reeks exhaustion.</p>
<p>"I'm gonna kill him." After all, he has almost ninety years to plan.</p>
<p>"No!" She pushes him back and levers him with a hard look. "No more plots against your brother, Hades. It's what got us into this mess in the first place."</p>
<p>She's not wrong, Hades has to give her that. But still, he can't regret it. Without the plot and then the punishment he wouldn't have Hayley. And she's worth all that and more.</p>
<p>"Let's go for a swim, shall we? The kids are out for the day."</p>
<p>"Carlos is well enough to be out all day?" Before Hades gets the chance to answer Persephone looks around. "Panic and Pain finally started cleaning around here, huh? Good."</p>
<p>Hades blinks in surprise and looks around. Persephone is right, the room looks tidier than usual. Not that Hades is that messy (or has that many things), but they're still underground in the cave. But it looks like the floor was actually swept recently. The two sidekicks still report to Hades weekly. The last time was actually the day before yesterday. Perhaps they were sick of the messiness of the room. Or Panic found a new way to deal with his anxiety. Hades is certainly not going to complain if that's the case.</p>
<p>"So... the swim?"</p>
<p>"Let me check the pantry first. I won't be able to come for some time now and I want you to have enough of everything."</p>
<p>She fills the pantry to bursts and then looks even more exhausted than before. They end up cuddling on the couch, with the shitty TV on in the background. Persephone has to go not even an hour later.</p>
<p>Well, he almost had her for a week. And this is supposed to be a punishment.</p>
<p>He goes to make dinner. The set time is still at seven and Hades still hasn't lifted the attendance rule on it. He's thinking about not lifting it ever again. Family dinners are nice, even though so far it's been just him and Hayley filling the silence. Carlos will open up and they have time.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. You'll be in my heart</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The relationship between Carlos and his newfound family isn't exactly smooth-sailing. It is what it is. And it's better.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Time goes by and Carlos doesn’t open up. At first Hades chalks it up to him still recovering. After all, he does look more and more tired as the time goes. He thinks about restricting him to bed once again, but that sounds too much like grounding and he doesn’t want to punish him.</p>
<p>At least Hayley seems cheerful, Hades thinks with relief one evening during diner.</p>
<p>He tries softly nudging Carlos into telling him what’s bothering him, but Carlos never tells him, hardly even looks at him. He always mutters something about being alright and being really grateful, and „thank you, sir“ and Hades stops asking pretty quickly.</p>
<p>Instead he sits back and watches Hayley chattering happily, teasing both Hades and Carlos mercilessly. Hades answers in kind, although somehow more softly than usually once he realizes that every time he’s admittedly a little too harsh Carlos flinches. It doesn’t matter that Hayley laughs, he softens his blows to make Carlos more comfortable. He doesn’t stop them, because that’s not him and he wants Carlos to like him for him, but he’s more conscious about how he reacts around him.</p>
<p>Hayley and Carlos are inseparable. Hades can already see that Carlos is looking to Hayley for protection while Hayley is somewhat protective of Carlos, bordering on possessive. He can see it in the way she watches both Jay and Evie closely when they interact with Carlos for few days before finally allowing them to be alone with him. He can see it in the way Carlos never looks at Hades and never even steps into a room with him unless he’s with Hayley.</p>
<p>He’s not sure if he should be concerned about that. Honestly, he’s just proud of Hayley for stepping into the role of protector while still so young. And concerned for Carlos. He’s glad he trusts Hayley, but trusting only his somewhat bigger sister can’t be healthy.</p>
<p>There is only one time when they’re not together during the day.</p>
<p>Hades has been training Hayley since she’s been seven. It was his condition for him to let her go out back then and they kept doing it because… well, officially, because Hades never lift that condition. But Hades thinks that it’s because they both enjoy it.  It’s basically the only exercise Hades gets and he manages to calibrate the level of his fighting to always engage Hayley without needlessly beating her by too much of a difference. He lets her get some punches in now and again, shows her how she already improved while showing her where she still can improve. Sometimes Hayley does get frustrated by never beating him, but Hades is proud to see that it only makes her more motivated.</p>
<p>About ten days after Carlos went off the bed rest they have another training session.</p>
<p>“Cover your left, princess, or you’re gonna wake up one day with ringing in your ears.”</p>
<p>Hayley snarls at him and lunches with her left hand. Hades dodges and… well. Calling it a punch would be too harsh. Let’s say taps her on the left side of the head. Then he dances away. Soon enough Hayley laughs with him.</p>
<p>“So, Carlos looks more and more tired every day.”</p>
<p>Hayley snorts.</p>
<p>“Don’t I know it.” She sneers, but it’s not at Hades himself. “I told him he doesn’t have to do it, but no, he won’t listen to me. Damn the stubborn mutt.”</p>
<p>Hades half-heartedly thinks about scolding her for her language, but lets it go.</p>
<p>“Doesn’t have to do what?”</p>
<p>Hayley glares and this time her punch lands precisely on Hades’ jaw. Maybe it’s time to recalculate the level with which he fights her.</p>
<p>“You didn’t notice that the rooms are cleaner?”</p>
<p>Hades quickly blocks another punch. Huh. Anger makes Hayley stronger. Good to know.</p>
<p>“I figured Pain or Panic took up their slacks and started cleaning properly.”</p>
<p>Hayley snorts and Hades uses that opening to knock her over. Hayley kicks at him so he can’t immobilize her on the floor and quickly jumps back up.</p>
<p>“As if.” Her punches are quick, but her feet are slower. Hades kicks out once again and Hayley ends up on her back once again. “Hey!”</p>
<p>“Quick on your feet, princess. The difference between win and lose.”</p>
<p>Hayley groans and rolls her eyes, but quickly gets up again.</p>
<p>“So… Carlos.”</p>
<p>Hayley growls and launches with her left hand. Hades recognizes her favorite trick, so he lets her punch him before kicking away the leg that was kicking at the place his hip would be if he sidestepped the punch.</p>
<p>“Don’t overuse your tricks on one opponent.”</p>
<p>Hayley rolls her eyes, turns around and kicks again. They play like that for a moment, Hades encouraging her to kick higher and with more force. He can deal with the few bruises and Hayley needs the training of kicks.</p>
<p>“Come on, tell me more about Carlos.”</p>
<p>Hayley grunts and kicks up again. Their fight is over and Hades simply holds his hand high so Hayley can try to kick it.</p>
<p>“He made me promise not to tell you. I try helping, but I usually just make it worse, so I stopped.”</p>
<p>“Helping?”</p>
<p>She doesn’t look at him, just stares at the hand with determination that’s admirable.</p>
<p>“He spends the nights cleaning. I tried helping with that, but whatever I do it’s not good enough so he needs to do it again.” She kicks up, coming just short of kicking his hand. Hades smiles at her, approving. “He needs to clean it to Cruella’s standard and that’s fucking hard.”</p>
<p>Hades feels the little magic that he was able to store in himself stir. He makes himself breathe slowly, calming himself down. No point in blowing out the little magic he has.</p>
<p>“What about a calm day in bed for the two of you today?”</p>
<p>Hayley sighs, long-suffering.</p>
<p>“We could stay on the couch, watching TV.” A pause. “I want ice cream.”</p>
<p>Hades stares her down. Hayley smiles toothily.</p>
<p>“I’ll look for it, but don’t hold your breath.” She jumps a little and Hades lets his hand down. ”So I take it I should go do that now.”</p>
<p>Hayley goes take a swim while Hades looks for ice cream. There’s one small tube of it deep in the freezer. It’s vanilla, which explains it. Chocolate ice cream doesn’t ever last in their home. It’s favorite of both Hades and Hayley, so that’s understandable.</p>
<p>He leaves it with Hayley in the living room and goes inspect the tunnels. Pain and Panic should do that along with securing it, but it’s good to make the rounds himself every once in a while. Plus, he still has the small project of bringing the hot spring to the new cave he created some months back. It was supposed to be a gift for Hayley. It was also the reason why he was storing that much magic when Carlos came to them. Well, it can be a gift for Hayley and Carlos both. As soon as he stores enough magic to finish that little project. It will take some time, maybe even a year now, but it should be worth it.</p>
<p>The tunnels look good and the secret cave is still pretty well hidden. He hunts down Panic and Pain and amuses himself with threatening them. Just a little. They’re used to it. It’s not like he’d harm them.</p>
<p>He comes back more than two hours later to sleeping Carlos cuddled in blankets and bored Hayley muttering threateningly at the TV.</p>
<p>“Don’t kill it,” he murmurs quietly and rearranges the blankets around Carlos. Then he turns to Hayley. “It’s not the TV, it’s the signal.”</p>
<p>“I knooooow,” Hayley draws it out quietly, but with deep suffering. “All the thing will show is some ball the Auradon kids are having.” She makes a face. “Snow White looks ridiculous. Looks like she had another operation, but I can’t pinpoint what it is she changed this time around.”</p>
<p>Hades chuckles and looks at the famous moderator. Old Snow White never procreated and instead fell right into the traps of plastic surgery. Hades figures it’s ironic poetry that she succumbed to exactly the same thing that was doom for her step mother.</p>
<p>They spend some time like that, gossiping about the famous people in Auradon and sharing wilder and wilder theories about their lives. The one about Snow White not having children and turning to surgery because her husband is uninterested in her and very interested in one particular cook boy in his palace is a popular one on the Isle, but an old one that lacks imagination. The one where prince Ben is actually son of Lumiere, that’s a new one. At least to Hades. Hayley looks happy that it made him laugh.</p>
<p>Carlos sleeps through all of it. Hades is careful not to be too loud and even Hayley is more subdued than usually.</p>
<p>Their fun is cut short when the TV gives up completely. Hayley groans.</p>
<p>“Great. Now what?”</p>
<p>Hades grins.</p>
<p>“Let’s dance!”</p>
<p>“Dad, no!”</p>
<p>“Too late. Come on, let’s move this so we don’t wake the pup.”</p>
<p>They move to Hades’ bedroom. He usually keeps it really private, but he trusts Hayley knows not to come in if she’s not invited. It’s for her own good, really. Hades is not a saint and he and Persephone have an understanding. He’s sure she’s not celibate either.</p>
<p>Hades puts on an LP with classic rock and Hayley groans, but soon enough they’re both dancing and singing. It’s easy to forget the rest of the world like that. So easy, that they actually forget.</p>
<p>They started quietly enough, but soon they’re lost in the music, so they turn it up and start singing loudly and there’s a tambourine. There’s always a tambourine at one point or another, Hades muses.</p>
<p>And then there are giggles from the door. Hayley stops in her track, but Hades simply turns around and doesn’t stop moving. Carlos is there, still enveloped in a blanket, leaning into the door frame and giggling. When Hades looks at him Carlos stops the giggling and straightens, clutching the blanket even more tightly. Hades just grins at him.</p>
<p>“Hey, pup.” Carlos flinches, but Hades marches on. “Wanna join us?” He juts his hips out in the rhythm of the song. Hayley laughs and Hades winks at her.</p>
<p>“Come on, little brother.” She grins at him widely. “It’s fun. I know it looks lame, but it really is.”</p>
<p>Carlos looks torn. Hades notices that he looks carefully at him before quickly looking away.</p>
<p>“You don’t have to,” he adds softly. “You can go back to your nap. Or you and Hayley can go out and have some fun. Or we can put it down and try the TV again.” He shrugs. “But you should try dancing. It’s fun and I hear that you don’t really do that up on the ground.”</p>
<p>Hades stubbornly refuses to stop dancing. Mostly because if he does, it will turn awkward. But still he watches as Carlos loosens his hold on the blanket and makes a cautious step to the bedroom.</p>
<p>“I… I don’t know how.”</p>
<p>Hayley laughs, high and girl-like, before coming to Carlos and taking his hands.</p>
<p>“It’s not something you know, pup.” Carlos glares at her, but Hades is glad to see that he’s smiling at the same time. “You just do it. You hear the music and you… move.”</p>
<p>Hades watches as Hayley starts dancing herself and moving Carlos’ hands, helping him feel at ease. Soon enough Carlos is dancing.</p>
<p>There are few moments where it looks like Carlos suddenly remembers what he’s doing and that Hades is there, too. Like when the LP ends and Hades has to change it. Or when they decide to move back to the living room, because there’s more space there after all. Or when Hayley moves to dance with Hades, too. But every time something like that happens Carlos relaxes a little quicker than last time.</p>
<p>At one point Hades starts twirling Hayley. After few times Hayley collapses to the couch in a fit of giggles and Hades offers his hand to Carlos. Carlos hesitates for a moment, but then takes it. Hades is more careful with Carlos than he was with Hayley, but Carlos still laughs and soon enough they’re dancing together, making faces at each other. Hades plays air guitar and Carlos collapses in a fit of giggles right next to Hayley.</p>
<p>Hades grins at both of them. Now he has a way to bond with the pup.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That night he doesn’t go to sleep. Honestly, he’s surprised that Carlos was able to sneak around during the night. Surprised and impressed.</p>
<p>He reads to pass the time while keeping an ear out. When he still doesn’t hear anything by 2AM he still gets up to look around.</p>
<p>He finds Carlos in the living room on the floor, scrubbing it clean completely silently. Carlos didn’t hear him, so he keeps scrubbing. Hades takes some time to just watch.</p>
<p>Carlos doesn’t look frantic or even sad. He’s simply concentrating on his task, methodical in what he’s doing. It’s almost scary. He’s nine, but he’s working more efficiently than anyone Hades ever met.</p>
<p>He sighs. Carlos jumps a little and turns around. For a moment they just look at each other.</p>
<p>“Come on, pup. I’ll make you cocoa and myself a drink.” Carlos’ eyes stray towards the bucket. “Leave it. We’ll deal with it later.”</p>
<p>Carlos is completely silent as he follows Hades. Hades is aware that they’re back to Carlos covering away from him. Damn it.</p>
<p>They make it to the kitchen and Hades concentrates on making the cocoa. The last time Persephone made cocoa for Hayley she added marshmallows to it. But those are something she gets them only occasionally and so they’re out of them now. He makes a mental note to ask Persephone for them the next time he gets the chance. He’d like to see Carlos’ reaction to them.</p>
<p>When he’s done he turns around to see Carlos standing about a foot away from the table, shoulders hunched, head bowed down. Obviously, he’s waiting for the other shoe to drop.</p>
<p>Hades sighs as he sets the cocoa down.</p>
<p>“Sit down and drink the damn cocoa, pup.”</p>
<p>Carlos flinches and Hades curses himself, but he still turns his back to him and goes make himself a drink. Clean whiskey should do it for tonight.</p>
<p>He throws back one tumbler of it straight away before pouring another one and taking this one to the table.</p>
<p>Carlos is finally sitting down, but only barely and the cup in front of him is still untouched.</p>
<p>“Carlos,” Hades starts carefully, because the boy is still obviously not used to the nickname he ended up with. Hades likes it and he is gonna make the kid like it, too, but that can wait after he gets this talk over with. “You know you don’t have to do that, right?”</p>
<p>Carlos very carefully, very slowly looks at Hades. Then he blinks and stares. So Hades continues.</p>
<p>“If you’re unhappy with the general messiness of the caves, we can talk and figure out something that would work out for all of us without… Okay, do I have something on my face?” Because ever since Carlos looked up he didn’t look away, hardly even blinking. Hades raises his hand and wipes his mouth. Carlos opens and closes his mouth a few times, obviously embarrassed.</p>
<p>“Your… eyes. They’re… different.”</p>
<p>Hades wipes the corner of his right eye and looks at the dark smudge on the finger. Oh, right.</p>
<p>“You’ve never seen me without my eyeliner, huh?” he chuckles. “Yeah, I like the way it makes my eyes look, but if I sleep in it, not only it looks terrible but it usually makes my eyes hurt.” Of course he didn’t have his eyeliner on the night Jay and Hayley brought Carlos here and even after, when he cursed the deVil woman, but Carlos can’t remember that.</p>
<p>“Oh,” Carlos blinks a few times again. Then he looks down. Hades sighs.</p>
<p>“Anyway, as I was saying, you can’t keep doing this during the night.”</p>
<p>Carlos flinches.</p>
<p>“I can do it during the day! It’s just… Hayley usually wants to do so many different things. But I don’t have to do them with her! I can just stay here and clean instead.”</p>
<p>Hades sighs and takes a sip from his tumbler.</p>
<p>“Not what I meant. Look, I usually don’t do the whole curfew thing, but you look exhausted and I hate to see you like that. So until we figure everything out, you’re gonna be in your room at ten at the latest and I don’t want you out of there before six in the morning, got it? Unless you need to use the bathroom. Or are thirsty. Or hungry.” He frowns and shakes his head. “Of course you can come out of your room if you need something, anything. I just don’t want you to be cleaning in the night, not getting enough sleep, okay?”</p>
<p>Carlos doesn’t look at Hades.</p>
<p>“Of course, sir.”</p>
<p>Hades frowns even more. Carlos hasn’t touched the cocoa yet. It has to be cold already.</p>
<p>“None of that, kiddo. I’m no fan of the whole sir and discipline thing. Call me Hades, or… whatever Hayley calls me.” She likes to go from “pain in the ass” to “light of my life” in a span of five minutes. He doesn’t mind as long as she actually listens to what he’s telling her.</p>
<p>Carlos looks up at him for just a moment before looking back down again. Well, this is not going as easy as their dance session that afternoon.</p>
<p>“Look, Carlos. We’re underground, as much as I managed to make this into a living flat, it’s still a cave. And I try to keep it as tidy as I can, but it’s not easy. And I… well, I have an idea about what that woman had you do.” There’s poison in the way he says the word woman, he’s aware. He’s not gonna apologize for it. With any luck it will help Carlos realize that whatever Cruella was to him until now, she doesn’t have to be anything the boy doesn’t want her to be. “And if you’re used to clean house, we can talk about it and help with that. Hell, say the word and I set Panic and Pain on it and you can just command them all day long.”</p>
<p>It was supposed to be a joke, but Carlos doesn’t even smile. Hades sighs and finishes his drink. The alcohol doesn’t really affect him, but the taste is nice.</p>
<p>“I promised you that I won’t keep you here against your will. That still stands. So, Carlos, do you want to stay here with us?”</p>
<p>When Carlos finally looks up there’s panic in his eyes. For a moment Hades is afraid that he might actually tell him that he doesn’t want to stay there with them. But then Carlos shakes his head widely.</p>
<p>“I don’t… I… I like it here.”</p>
<p>It’s said quietly, almost sheepishly. Almost like Carlos is afraid how Hades will react. But Hades just smiles.</p>
<p>“Great! That’s great, pup.” This time, Carlos doesn’t flinch, but carefully smiles at Hades. Hades’ smile grows larger when he sees it. “Now, tell me the truth. Why do you keep cleaning here?”</p>
<p>Carlos looks away again, embarrassed.</p>
<p>“I… Cleaning is the only thing I know. Hayley told me I don’t have to, but… I can’t fall asleep if it’s not cleaned.” He seems to hesitate, carefully looking at Hades for just a moment before looking away once again. “I had to clean everything to her pleasing or she wouldn’t let me sleep.”</p>
<p>For a moment Hades wants to burst in into the Hell Hall and curse the woman some more. Well, maybe he can check how the first curse is going before that. If she’s as stubborn as Hades think, she might have problems sleeping even now.</p>
<p>“Alright, so we need to clean. Is it just the rooms in here or all the tunnels? Cause honestly, if it’s the latter, we might have a problem.”</p>
<p>Carlos thinks about it, but then slowly shakes his head.</p>
<p>“Just… these rooms is fine. The living room, kitchen, the pantry and the herbs garden. My room and Hayley’s room and… well,” Carlos’ face goes red and Hades can’t believe how protective of that kid he already feels. “I never… was in your room, but…”</p>
<p>Hades groans at that.</p>
<p>“I’ll have to clean my room now, won’t I?”</p>
<p>It’s a joke, once again, but once again Carlos reacts by flinching.</p>
<p>“You don’t have to. I can clean it or… or I can deal with it.”</p>
<p>Hades sighs. He wants to hug the kid, but Carlos is still wary around him without any kind of touching.</p>
<p>“We’ll figure it out. Tomorrow, though. You okay to go to bed now?”</p>
<p>Carlos tenses, but nods. Hades sighs.</p>
<p>“That’s a no, then. Come on, let me help you. Or, you know, you can show me what you usually do so hopefully I don’t fuck it up tomorrow.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>***</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The cleaning routine Carlos has set up is ridiculous. And Hades is not saying it as someone who‘s not used to cleaning anything. It takes all three of them four hours to clean that first night. Hayley starts complaining after three of those. Honestly, Hades is impressed. He himself was really fucking done with it after the one hour mark.</p>
<p>But they do it in the evening, before dinner, and the next morning Carlos looks well rested and… well, almost happy. So Hades settles for that long, excessive night routine.</p>
<p>It gets easier. After three days of that Hades gets fed up and makes Panic and Pain help. They at least seem to get everything Carlos is telling them at the first try and so their evening routine is much faster.</p>
<p>Carlos seems seepish about the way he worked both Hades and Hayley and apologizes repeatedly. Hayley gives him shit about it, so Hades just waves it away.</p>
<p>As the time goes by, even that routine becomes somewhat… normal. Pain and Panic go back into hiding, which Hades is not complaining about. They work well, if not very efficiently, but their rambling can and usually does drive Hades mad.</p>
<p>Time goes on. Panic and Pain soon have the cleaning thing under control and Carlos only frets and cleans in those evenings when he‘s extra tired or extra anxious. It happens, Carlos seems to be an anxious person. Hades hopes to help with that.</p>
<p>More often than not Hayley and Carlos spend their time together. Hayley even whines about the mandatory dinners after a while, but Hades likes them. Instead, he offers to host Jay and Evie as often as they‘d like.</p>
<p>Naturally, they don‘t take him up that offer often. He‘s not surprised. They have a curfew, too, even though Jafar certainly doesn‘t call it that. Evil Queen probably does. If nothing else, Evie doesn‘t have a single scar on her and she never, ever has a bruise. So yeah, Evie probably does have a curfew to shield her from the particularly bad sides of the Isle. Jay probably has a few set times he has to deliver to his father. One of them is probably late in the evening. Or so Hades assumes. That‘s how he‘d set it up, anyway.</p>
<p>He‘s actually kinda glad for that. He likes them, don‘t take him wrong. But Evie never eats when he invites them to eat and it makes him nervous. They only ever accept if it‘s raining cats and dogs outside and they can‘t run around the Isle.</p>
<p>As the time goes by, Carlos puts on some weight. It looks good on him and helps him look healthier.</p>
<p>Two months after her last visit, Persephone turns up. With Spot on her heel.</p>
<p>Thankfully, Spot is in his travel size. Still bigger than most dogs and yeah, there is that three heads part, but at least he‘s not filling up the whole room by himself.</p>
<p>Of course, she chose an evening and the living room, which means that Carlos screams and jumps behind Hades the moment he sees the dog. At that point, Carlos doesn‘t flinch away from every Hades‘ touch, so Hades hugs him with one arm and steps so that his body is physically between him and Spot.</p>
<p>Not that Spot would do anything to him, mind you. He knows when he and Persephone approve of someone. But he knows how Carlos feels about dogs.</p>
<p>„So, I didn‘t manage to tell you that Carlos doesn‘t like dogs, huh?“</p>
<p>Persephone looks scandalized.</p>
<p>„What kind of a child doesn‘t like dogs?!“</p>
<p>„Cruella de Vil‘s one.“ Hayley‘s voice is bored as she goes over to Spot. „Who‘s a good boy? Have you been a good puppy in the underworld? Have you guarded it as the good boy you are?“</p>
<p>Every head of Spot‘s licks Hayley and she laughs so hard she falls on her butt. She doesn‘t seem to mind, though. Hades grins at Persephone.</p>
<p>„Did I not mention who Cruella de Vil is?“</p>
<p>„You did not.“ Persephone is not amused. Hades gulps nervously.</p>
<p>„It‘s gonna eat me,“ Carlos murmurs behind Hades. The only one who doesn‘t hear him is Hayley and that‘s because she‘s too busy with Spot. Persephone sighs.</p>
<p>„He‘s not going to eat you, sweetheart. In this size, he‘s not even able to.“</p>
<p>„And he wouldn‘t eat you even in his full size.“</p>
<p>Now Carlos looks up to Hades.</p>
<p>„That‘s not his full size?!“</p>
<p>Hades takes care to watch Carlos closely and stay in between him and Spot. Spot is not happy about it. Persephone has her hands full holding him in place, but when she looks at Carlos her face softens.</p>
<p>„How are you, little one?“</p>
<p>There‘s silence for a moment, before Hayley from her place, sitting in front of Spot, snorts.</p>
<p>„She‘s talking to you, pup.“</p>
<p>Carlos looks actually surprised by that. Then, he looks at her with suspision clear in his eyes.</p>
<p>„Who are you again?“</p>
<p>That‘s when Hades realizes that for all the care Persephone gave to the boy, Carlos met her once and it was short and he was still half delirious.</p>
<p>„Carlos, meet my wife, Persephone.“</p>
<p>Carlos looks contemplative for a moment before looking from Persephone to Hayley and back.</p>
<p>„You and Hayley do not look related.“</p>
<p>Ouch. Well, he should have take the time to explain the situation to Carlos if he didn‘t want his wife to silently glare at him right now.</p>
<p>„They‘re not. Hayley isn‘t Persephone‘s kid, she‘s mine.“</p>
<p>Carlos makes a face at that.</p>
<p>„I might be young, but I know that‘s not how babies work.“</p>
<p>That breaks Persephone‘s glare and she laughs, a light, almost sing-like sound Hades doesn‘t hear often anymore. The white heather in her flower crown blooms and a single flower of carnation catiously opens up in the middle of it. Hades smiles at it.</p>
<p>„You‘re right, little one, it takes two to tango. And, well, make babies.“ With fascination, Hades watches a blush bloom on Persephone‘s cheeks. She‘s not usually one to blush easily, doesn‘t have problem to joke even with Dionysus on any given day. But she‘s more… delicate around children. Hades finds it entirely too charming.</p>
<p>„Then who‘s the other parent of Hayley‘s?“</p>
<p>Of course, by then even Hayley‘s blatantly paying attention, looking up at him. Hades looks at Persephone instead. She‘s already looking at him, but this time there‘s no harsh look, no anger. Just quiet support. When he‘s silent too long, Hayley answers Carlos, but doesn‘t stop staring at Hades.</p>
<p>„Dad says that it‘s some insignificant woman that didn‘t put up a fight when dad wanted to take me when I was little.“</p>
<p>Hades looks away from Persephone and smirks at Hayley.</p>
<p>„What, am I not enough for you?“</p>
<p>Finally, Hayley just rolls her eyes and stands up, leaving one hand on one of Spot‘s heads. The other two whine at her, but she ignores them for a moment.</p>
<p>„Come on, Carlos. Don‘t you wanna say hello to Spot?“</p>
<p>Hades‘ attention is quickly pulled back to the boy who‘s still somewhat hiding behind him.</p>
<p>„You don‘t have to. But Spot really won‘t hurt you. He just wants to say hi, that‘s all.“</p>
<p>Carlos looks unbelieving, but he does make a reluctant step out of Hade‘s shadow. Carefully, Hades sets his hand on Carlos‘ shoulder and is happy to see that the boy doesn‘t really react to the touch. Sure, it would be nice if it could relax him, but he takes „not flinching“ for now.</p>
<p>„What does that mean, exactly? Him saying hi?“</p>
<p>„Mostly just him slobbering all over you and sniffing you. Come on, pup, we can go play with him only after he says hi.“</p>
<p>Carlos makes another step and Hades lets him go, instead subtly gesturing for Persephone to join him on the couch.</p>
<p>Hades watches the kids closely at first, but nothing really happens. Spot sniffs Carlos (every head sniffs him) and he does get some slobber on his clothes, but his nerves seem to slowly disappear until he‘s giggling right along with Hayley when they‘re involved in a four way tuck game with two of Spot‘s heads.</p>
<p>„Not leaving the living room, little monster, not today.“</p>
<p>„But daaaad!“</p>
<p>„You heard me. Don‘t make me send Spot away.“</p>
<p>Hayley pouts at him and he gets it – she likes to run around the tunnels with Spot when he visits. But although Carlos doesn‘t seem that nervous now, Hades doesn‘t like the idea of just leaving him to fend for himself.</p>
<p>„Should I not bring Spot for some time?“ asks Persephone softly when they‘re sure the kids are not listening, after talking about the bussiness.</p>
<p>„No,“ answers Hades just as softly, but decisively. „Bring him the next time you‘ll be able to visit. Spot is part of the family. He better get used to him.“</p>
<p>The zinnias in Persephone‘s hair bloom and their scent lazily fills the room. Hades smiles at Persephone and leans close to kiss her.</p>
<p>„Ew, dad! Gross.“</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>Time goes on and things… settle. Carlos stops cleaning so meticulously every day, but when something happens (which tends to do on the Isle) or when his anxiety raises Hades still finds him cleaning around the caves. Hayley and Carlos have few fights, as siblings tend to do. The first time it happens Hades is torn between the two, trying to console both of them at the same time while the two refuse to be in the same room, yet pining for each other. It‘s a nightmare and the next time it happens Hades resolutely stays out of it.</p>
<p>They adapt. Hayley and Carlos learn that as much as they love each other, they can‘t be with each other all the time, every hour of the day seven days a week. Hayley usually spends her „alone“ hours outside, most often with Jay. Carlos, on the other hand, likes to spend it inside. He finds the room Hades set aside for his books soon enough and he steadily makes his way through them. He seems fascinated by almost every subject, happily reading both romances and science books. Hades comes to love the quiet time they spend together like that – just the two of them in the room, not really talking but somehow belonging.</p>
<p>Family dinners become a thing and the kids quickly adapt to spending the evenings with him. Sometimes they simply watch TV, but other times they dance and sing and generaly just goof around and Hades adores those times. He cherishes those times because they are exactly the moments Carlos opens up to them the quickest.</p>
<p>Soon it‘s Hayley birthday, which means that only a month after that they celebrate her tenth birthday. Hades contemplates telling her the truth then (after all, she is twelve now), but in the end decides against it. Carlos is still settling in, it can wait another year.</p>
<p>They invite Jay and Evie and Persephone even sends a cake. It comes with a gift and a note apologizing for not being able to make the celebration, but Hayley lights up when she opens the gift to find a green leather jacket.</p>
<p>They have a cake, but Hades sees the way Evie grows white when he offers her a slice. So instead, he offers her an apple, kept fresh in their pantry. She looks unsure, but when she looks around at her friends happily eating cake she hesitantly takes it. Hades hides the way he watches her, but he watches her closely. When she actually takes a bite of the apple, a surprising feeling of accomplishment takes over him. He didn‘t realize how worried he was about Evie not eating any of the food he offered her. But this moment right there feels great.</p>
<p>That afternoon is happy and light and full of laughter and Hades basks in the feeling that he actually provides the kids with a break from the Isle.</p>
<p>After that, he realizes that he doesn‘t really know when Carlos‘ birthday is. And the boy‘s casual shrug when he asks about it doesn‘t inspire good feelings either.</p>
<p>„Don‘t know. Never asked and I doubt Cruella knows.“</p>
<p>He‘s been getting better about mentioning his mother. It‘s never „mother“ let alone „mum“ for him, but Hades doesn‘t mind. He‘s just glad he no longer flinches when they mention her.</p>
<p>„Do you know how old you are?“</p>
<p>Carlos looks thoughtful for a moment.</p>
<p>„About Hayley‘s age, I guess. Why? It‘s not that important.“</p>
<p>He doesn‘t seem sad that he doesn‘t have a date to celebrate birthday. Or even angry. Hades remembers how happy he seemed celebrating Hayley and wonders why he doesn‘t want that for himself.</p>
<p>„Why don‘t you just pick a date? We‘ll celebrate your birthday then.“</p>
<p>Carlos looks at him with surprise and just a touch of wonder. It‘s not as wide-eyed look as he used to give Hades for every little kind thing he did for him at the beginning and honestly, Hades is glad for it. He still likes the touch of wonder in his brown eyes, though.</p>
<p>„I can do that?“</p>
<p>Hades laughs.</p>
<p>„Sure, pup. Why not?“</p>
<p>Persephone and Carlos get on marvelously once they actually start to talk. Turns out Hades‘ collection includes some of Persephone‘s favorites, so they have plenty to talk about. Hayley doesn‘t look that happy about that at first, but Hades is happy to say that it doesn‘t sour her relationship to Persephone to the cold indifference it was before. It complicates it once again, but Hades can live with that. As long as he has all three of them in his life, he‘s fine.</p>
<p>Spot is very excited about visitting more often and Carlos gets used to him as easily as can be expected. Which means that he‘s still somewhat nervous about him, but he learns to live with that and even like the beast.</p>
<p>The cave with the hot springs is not ready for Hayley‘s birthday, as he hoped, but they are ready about two months later. Things are calm and quiet by then. He picks a day he knows Jay and Evie are not visitting – Evie said she won‘t be able to visit for few days due to some study project her mother has her on and Jay‘s father has been less than happy with him recently so he said he‘d spend the days on the pull. Hades is not happy about that, but he thinks that showing his kids the spa will be a good way for him to relax and forget about his own anger as well.</p>
<p>Hayley complains about him dragging them through the tunnels and even though Carlos is silent, Hades sees his annoyance. He just started some book he and Persephone have been talking about, he knows, but he still thinks family time is more important than some book.</p>
<p>„Ready to see something amazing?“</p>
<p>„In the middle of the tunnles? I doubt that there‘s...“</p>
<p>But then he pushes the rest of his magic and the glamour on the side of the tunnel disappears, leaving them with a view to the spa cave. Hayley stops talking with her mouth still open and even Carlos‘ eyes widen. Hades smiles. He‘s almost out of magic once again, but just that look is absolutely worth it.</p>
<p>„So, what do you think, you two? Fancy a swim?“</p>
<p>They‘re on their way in and stripping their clothes before he finishes his question.</p>
<p>„This is amazing! Thanks, dad.“</p>
<p>„Yeah! Thank you, dad.“</p>
<p>Hades‘ heart squeezes as he hears that and for a moment he freezes. Of course, that‘s when Carlos realizes what he said and stops his movement, before slowly turning to look at Hades, his eyes wide and, for the first time in months, terriffed.</p>
<p>„I… I mean…“</p>
<p>„Come here, son.“</p>
<p>So yeah, his voice cracks, but he simply tugs half naked Carlos to himself and hugs him tightly, tucking his nose in Carlos‘ wild curls and just staying like that. For a moment Carlos just stands there, not giving in, but it doesn‘t take long for him to melt into it and hug right back.</p>
<p>„I‘m sorry.“</p>
<p>Hades squeezes him tighter.</p>
<p>„Don‘t ever apologize for that, son. I mean it.“ He pulls away to look at Carlos, but leaves his hands on Carlos‘ shoulders. „Don‘t apologize for belonging in this family, pup. We chose you and we‘re honored that you chose us.“</p>
<p>Carlos‘ smile is a little unsure and just a bit watery. And just when he opens his mouth to reply, they‘re interrupted.</p>
<p>„This is heaven! Are you two coming? Cause I‘m not against having all this for myself.“</p>
<p>Hades smiles at Carlos and quickly hugs him once more.</p>
<p>„Come on. I built this for… well, all of us, and I‘ll be damned if I don‘t enjoy it as much as the little monster.“</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So, what do you think about Hades and his little family? Would you be interested in hearing more stories from them? Not promising anything (we are both working on different things right now), but... we might have some ideas.<br/>Let us know what you think!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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